Vehicle outrigger



E. G. DEUCHER VEHICLE OUTRIGGER me 5, w23." www? Filed March ll, 192] 2 Sheets-Sheet l HIS ATTORNEYS Jam@ 5, .1923. 31,457,397

E. G. DEUCHER VEHICLE OUTRIGGER Filed March ll, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H l5 A TTORNEY Patented dune 5, i923.

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EUGENE Gr. DEIICHER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T THE UNIVERSAL CRANE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICLE OUTRIGGER.

Application filed March 11, 1921. Serial No. 451,599.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE G. DEUCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Outriggers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to vehicle outriggers, and more particularly to Outrigger mechanisms wherein the load of aspringed vehicle supported crane mechanism, or the like, may be carried on adjustable pier legs independently of the springs and wheels of thevehicle when desired, as, for example, when the crane mechanism is in operation. It is an object of my invention to provide an Outrigger mechanism normally carried by the crane bed of a crane mechanism, and which when the vehicle supporting the crane bed is adapted to move may be adjusted to such a position that the pier legs may be withdrawn from the level which they would occupy when the crane is in Op,

eration and when the pier legs would support the load of the crane. When so adjusted for traveling, it is an object of my invention to provide a system of struts and ties which will, with the use of a minimum of weight, comprise a structure which 4will support the maximum of supported crane weight most efciently for the purpose specified, and like purposes.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such pier legs whereby they may be supported by the bed of the crane mechanism, or the like, in' line with the line of travel of the vehicle Wheels adjacent to which they will depend, although lifted until points about the level ofthe ground upon which the wheels rest is of a solid enough character, whereby said pier legs `may be adjusted so as to rest upon said ground.

Further objects of my invention and the invention itself will become apparent during the description thereof which follows, and in which description references will be had to the drawings forming part of this specification.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. l shows aside elevation of a spring vehicle employing an embodiment of my invention, illustrated as attached to the bed I frame of a crane or like mechanism, and which mechanism is not shown, as it 4may be of any desired type. v

Fig. 2 showsran end view of portions of the Outrigger mechanism illustrated in F ig. l, other portions being omitted for the sake of clearness, and the-vehicle frame and crane bed embodiment being shown partly in section.

Fig-3 shows a top view of a pier leg bracket mechanism, which supports one of the four pier legs of my improved outrigger mechanism, as appliedto the frame of a crane bed.

F ig. l shows a top view of the pier leg bracket, and in this view the method of attaching a reinforcing bar to the bracket is illustrated.

F ig. 5 shows a side view of the bracket illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 `shows an end view of the bracket of Figs. 3, 4c and 5.

Fig. 7 shows aview of the reinforcing bar in position to connect with a channel beam of the crane bed frame, which latter-is shown in section.

Fig. 8 shows a section of a portion of the pier leg.

Referring now to the drawings, in allof which like parts are denoted by like reference characters, at 2 is shown'the frame of a vehicle, such as an automobile truck trailer, which is supported by springs 3 upon the front and rear axles (not shown) of the vehicle, which in turn, are carried by the wheels l. The springs 3 and the tires 5 forv the wheels are quite resilient, so as to enable the vehicle lto travel over` ordinary roads at a relatively high rate of speed, and which is an advantage,in that the idle time of the vehicle may be minimized. Whereas it is quite possible to make the tires and springs. of such a vehicle of considerable resiliency and still enable the vehicle to transport a crane mechanism of considerable weight, still if the crane were put in operation and the same were only supported by these springs andthe wheels, whenever the boom'of the crane was called upon to support loads at any distance from the space enclosed by the wheels. the property of resiliency as possessed by the said tires and springs would cause the frame of the vehicle to be deflected, inclining toward the load, with consequent apparentV disadva'n tages.

By the use of the Outrigger mechanism of my invention I am enabled, when the vehicle has been moved to the desirable posi# tion, wherein it is proposed to operate the crane mechanism, to adjust the pier legs to their crane supporting position, wherein the shoes 6 are brought into a position approaching the ground or resting upon the ground when the ground isv of a solid enough character, and the load is then carried by the pier legs, reinforced by a system of ties, as will be later more specifically described.

vWhen the ground is soft, the pier leg shoes 6 will not rest directly upon the ground, but blocks, as indicated at 7, will be placed under the shoes, so as 'to increase the area of contact over the ground.y In the embodiment illustrated, the vp ier legs 8 are united with the shoes 6 by a ball andsocket swiveljjoint 9 andthe pier legs are capable of being elongated by means ofa jack-screw connection 10, which is capableof beingv adjusted so as to alter the length of the legs. The other end of the lpier legs is jointed'to U- bolts U at`11. lThe U-bolts Il are carried in bracket'B, 'the connection between lthe pier leg end and the U-bolt being so made as to 'provide for swinging' motion by the pier leg in any desired directiO-H This is secured by providing an opening 12 throughV the pier leg 8, the said opening being' widest at the outside at 13, and 'being narrowest at the y'center 14. j

The frame F of the crane structure car-l ries four brackets B, two on eitherside of the vehicle, and these Abrackets,besides carryingthe pier legs which form the struts' of a truss structure, also are adapted toconnect withthe other ends of the pier legs at'the shoes 6 lthrough .tie rods 16, said tie rods being connected together with chains 15 at aninterrnediate point 17 to a junction memberlS containing an opening 19..

vVVhen the vehicle is arranged to travel, the pier legs are Withdrawn from their operative to their traveling position by 'rais v ing the junction member 18 up to a higher' level, where it `may'have its opening19 hooked over a supporting hook 20u. The ties comprising the chains and tie rods are' subjectV only to forces placing them in'tens'i'on, whereas the pier legs 8 form struts of a trussstructure, which are subject to stress in thel directionv of their length,=-that is to a tensile or compressive'stress.

The tie' Vrods 16 are connected` ate their lower ends by swivel joints y17a, 18a, 19, and 20 to the pier leg shoes', there being a pair of tierods '16. connected to each shoe,

the tie rods connected to a given -shoe ex# tending at right angles one tothe other. This is shown in Fig. `3, where the two tie rods 16 yare shown as connecting at points 20, which are points of'swivel joint 'connection, to a shoe 6. The chains V15, Fig. 2,

vare secured to the france2, by means of the pier .leg opening 12 being then threaded v by the U-bolt U,'and the U-bolt then'is` inserted through openings 23 in thepier leg bracket B. Theplate 24 'is then placed over the ends of the U-bolt and which ends have a threaded portion 25. The'plate 24 then rests upon the top of the coil spring22 and the' plate 24 is clamped tightly in position against the said spring by turning the nuts 26 down on the threaded portions 25 of the U-bolt ends.

The' spring 22 in the embodiment illustrated rests partly upon the I- bolt I, which extendsthrough the opening 21 inthe bracket.l Bosses 27 and 28 areprovided on the bracket B, whereby7 by means offan internal thread 29 a bolt, such as 30, may secure a reinforcing bar 31 to the bracket, and

which reinforcing bar may be bolted fat the `U-bolts 43,' which also secure the springs- These" bars 40 and 41 3 to :the said axle. have an upwardly extending portion having p'erforations 44 at their ends for thev` purpose of clamping these ends tothe frame by means of 'a pinwhich may pass through a. desired one of the said perforations and extend over the frame F, so as to'prevent upward movement of the said frame ,F relative to the axle 42.l These upwardly extending portions are pivoted' at 46 to base members 47 secured under thesprings 3 and heldby thebolts43.

It will be seen that the .operator can,.by selecting al given 'perforation 44 and inserting a pin therein, which passes over the frame F, limit to a predetermined amount any motion of the frame 'F relative to the axle 42, which would tend to separatethe frame'and axle. `This provision is of distinet value. When heavyv loads are supported from the end of ajboom carried on the frame F, the end ofthe boom as occurs in' practice, extending at qui-te a distance kfrom the vehicle` is sometimes subjected to frame would be increased, since the springs 3, are not well adapted to restrain the movement of the frame in an upward direction, such as would be caused by such Aheavy loads applied, as above described. The members l 40 and 41 form, in effect, iarelatively rigid connection between the end of the axle opposite the applied load and the adjacent portion of the frame,`whereby the weight of the adjacent wheel is added-to the counter-active force tending to prevent tilting or tipping by the applied load and tends to keep the center of mass of the vehicle and load within the prescribed area, bounded by the wheels or the Outrigger pier .leg shoes.

When the Outrigger mechanism of my invention is applied to a vehicle carrying a crane mechanism, or the like, I am enabled to use a vehicle of the `ordinary truck or truck trailer type, which is highly springed, and which may have .rubber tires, and which is, therefore, capable of traveling over ordinary roads at a considerable rate of speed, even vwhen the crane mechanism vis ve-ry heavy. since when the vehicle reaches the end of its journey and the crane mechanism is to be worked, the weight of the crane mechanism will not be carried by the vehicle springs and tires, but by the Outrigger mechanism provided', yas illustrated and described, and which is adapted to carry weights far in excess of the weights which might be carried by the springs and tires.

Having thus described my invention in a specific embodiment, I am `aware that numerous yand extensive departures may be made from the embodiment of my. invention herein illustrated and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is defined in the following claims: A

1. In an Outrigger mechanism for springed vehicles, the combination with a hoisting mechanism bed, a vehicle frame, said bed being normally carried on the said frame, wheels for the said vehicle, resilient spring means connecting the said frame and the said wheels, a plurality of brackets on the bed, a plurality of pier legs adapted to be secured each at one end to one of the said brackets, shoes for the lower ends of the pier legs, and tie means connecting each bracket to shoes of next adjacent pier legs.

2. In a supporting mechanism. for mobile hoisting mechanisms, the combination with a highly springed vehicle comp-rising a frame, wheels, and springs interconnecting said wheels and frame, of a truss structure comprising four pier legs having the properties of struts, and eight tie members, each tie member uniting opposite ends of adjacent legs, said truss structure being adjustable to lift the legs from a lower operating position to a higher vehicle traveling position.

3. In a supporting mechanism for mobile hoisting mechanisms, the combination with' a highly springed vehicle I. comprising a frame, wheels, andl springs interconnecting said wheels and.v frame, of a truss structure comprising four pier legs having they properties of struts, and eighttie members, each tie member uniting opposite ends of adjacent'legs, a hoisting mechanism bed `frame,

and means to secure the said pier legs to the said bed frame, said truss structureA being adapted to usurp the *.weight. supporting function of thel said springs. l

5. Ina supporting mechanism for mobile hoisting mechanisms,`the combination with a highly springed vehicle comprising a frame, wheels, and springs interconnecting said wheels and frame. of a truss structure comprising four pier legs having the properties of struts, and eight tie members, each tie member uniting opposite ends of adjacent legs, said truss structure being adjustable to lift the legs from a lower operating position to a higher vehicle traveling position, a hoisting mechanism bed frame, and means to secure the said pier legs to the said bed frame, said truss structure being adapted to usurp the weight supporting function of the said springs.

6. In a supporting mechanism for mobile hoisting mechanisms, the combination. with a highly springed vehicle comprising a frame, wheels, and springs interconnecting said wheels and frame, of a truss structure comprising four pier legs having the properties of struts, and eight tie members, each tie member uniting opposite ends of adjacent legs, a hoisting mechanism bed frame, means to secure the said pier legs to the said bed frame, said truss structure being adapt-' ed to usurp the weight supporting function of the said springs and said pier legs being adapted to position to depend from the said bed frame in the line of travel of the wheels.

7. In a supporting mechanism for mobile hoisting mechanisms, the combination with a highly springed vehicle comprising a frame.

wheels, and springs interconnecting said wheels and frame, of a truss structure comprising four pier legs having the properties of struts, and eight tie members, each tie member uniting opposite ends of adjacent atta'ehsad Vpier legs,` being attachedI et their upper ends: to the said bed frame,I said truss structure beingv adapted to usurp the Weight- '5' 'suporting functionu of'` the said springs.

mechanism. bede a'veliele frame, said-bed being -normelly carried "on the seid frame, wheels for the seid vehie1e,1=resilent spring means connecting the seidfframe and the seidY Wheels, 'eplureltywoi brackets on the bed, e plurality of pierlegs adepted'tofbe m secured eaoh et one fendy to 'one of "the said i legs,- 'andi' tie f' Ineens connecting each bracket to shoes ofunext 'adjacent *pierl legs,y and restraining 'Ineens yadjacent ech spring means for preventing expansionof the. smdsprmg v"ir'n'egnis beyond a predetermined maximum.

9. In a' supporting mechanism for mobile hoisting mechanisms, the; combinationw'vith fa.

highly 'sprnged vehicle comprising a frame,

bra'ekets, shoes for vthe lower ends of the pier Wheels,` and"springs` interconnecting said legs,l said truss structurey being adjustable to lift .the legs from a lower operating'position to u higher Vehicletraveling position,A and means; vadjacent `eechfiwheel for vineventing j expansion of .said springs beyondeprede- 8. Infan ,outriggerjmechanismfor spring: vehicles,4 the 'combination vwith fa@ hoisting termined. maximum.

10.- In asupporting mechanism y'for'mobile hoisting meeh'anisms,` the combin'ationwith a highly springed vehicle comprising aframe,

Wheels,andy springs'v interconnecting said Wheels yand frames offatrussvstructure comprising four pierlegs having the-properties .of `r struts, andnei'ght tie members, each tie member uniting opposite ends of 1 adj scent legs, said truss structure ybeing adjustable to lift the legs from :a lower voperating yposition to -a higher vehicle. travelingposition,` n hoisting mechanism'bed frame, andmeans toi secure the said pierr legs to the said lbed seid springs,'and a. hookmember adjacent e-ch VWheelv adaptedto pre-Vent expansive' v frame, said -truss' structure being adapted toy -l usurpthe Weight supporting. functionof the 

